2007 Ford Mustang GT - Work And Play

Manny Galvan helps customers build dream ’Stangs—creating his own was just for fun

Drew Phillips

July 6, 2011

Some guys can't help but take home their work on weekends. In his case, though, it's not such a bad thing. During the week, Manny Galvan works for Gaudin Ford in Las Vegas, Nevada, handling their specialty Mustang sales. On weekends, he spends his time in the garage working on one of his Mustang projects. "I always look forward to Sundays working in the garage on the Mustangs," he told us. "It's a remedy to calm nerves or escape everyday stress."

Manny's passion for Mustangs goes way back to his childhood when he helped his father work on them. "I've been involved with Mustangs my whole life," he says. "I've liked them since I was a young kid, and working on them with my dad was all we did when I was growing up." The father and son's longest project is a '67 Mustang that they have both been working on for 20 years. "It seems like that build will never end, but I guess we don't want it to end," Manny jokes. "It's a lifetime experience that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world."

Manny's latest project is a Tungsten Gray '07 Mustang GT. As you might expect, his daily work provides plenty of inspiration for his own car. "My job was a huge influence on the way I built my Mustang," he tells us. Having seen just about every Mustang modification, Manny also knew that he didn't want to build anything like he'd seen done before. "I truly wanted to have something unique," Manny says. "I didn't want to be like everyone else or a replica of something."

Starting with the exterior, Manny combined several body components from a variety of manufacturers to get the look he wanted. "I couldn't make up my mind on the different body kits available," he says. "I wanted something streamlined and simple, yet race-inspired." Manny started by adding plenty of carbon fiber to the car for both form and function, including an adjustable front splitter, rocker extensions, and side mirrors from APR Performance, as well as a Shelby GT500-style hood from Extreme Dimensions. He also integrated front and rear fascias from Street Scene Equipment, added Agent 47 NACA ducts in place of the rear quarter-windows, and fitted a subtle ducktail spoiler from Classic Design Concepts. As a final touch to make the car unique, he had custom stripes hand-painted the full length of the car.

While the exterior of Manny's Mustang certainly stands out, the interior is like nothing we've seen before. "We spent so much time to make it all work just like OEM and keeping it unique," he says. "The blend of those two things was difficult. People always see the outside and are amazed, but once they come around to look inside, they are wowed!" Nearly every aspect of the cockpit is changed out in favor of custom pieces, like the hand-stitched door panels, one-off Alcantara suede dash, and the custom-built fiberglass subwoofer enclosure that replaces the rear seats. A close look also reveals an attention to detail, like the gloss-black finish surrounding the instrument panel, LED lighting throughout the cabin, and even a suede headliner.

Adding to the racing theme, Manny added Sparco Milano leather seats with four-point race harnesses, a Sparco suede steering wheel, and a dash-mounted Classic Design Concepts three-gauge pod with Auto Meter gauges. He also went all-out on the stereo system, installing an Alpine 7-inch monitor mated to a custom iPod dock, the aforementioned subwoofers, and two sets of amps, mounted behind the front seats and in the trunk. Speaking of the trunk, there's also an NOS intercooler spray kit that can be activated via buttons on the steering wheel.

At this point, you might think Manny's Mustang to be all show and no go, but one look underneath the hood reveals otherwise. A Kenne Bell 2.6-liter supercharger sits prominently above the Three-Valve V-8, and a Ford Racing 62mm throttle body and a Techco cold-air intake with 100mm mass air help keep plenty of air moving through the twin-screws.

Photo Gallery

Fitted with a 2.75-inch pulley, the blower is putting out an impressive 17 pounds of boost, so it's no wonder that Manny didn't keep the engine's internals stock. Manley forged aluminum 9.8:1 pistons and forged-steel H-beam connecting rods were installed, as well as a forged-steel crankshaft.

With those in place, Manny added even more upgrades, including Comp's XFI SPR camshafts with beehive springs, 60-lb/hr injectors, JBA ceramic-coated Shorty headers, and a Magnaflow exhaust system.

With the NOS intercooler spray kit engaged, the blown V-8 puts out an impressive 692 hp and 679 lb-ft at the wheels. When asked about how the car drives, Manny simply says, "Like a bat out of hell!" It's one of the cleanest engine bays we've seen, too, with custom carbon fiber and billet trim pieces throughout, a one-off carbon fiber intake tube, and black-painted valve covers.

With that much power Manny knew the drivetrain needed to be upgraded as well, and he set about making sure things would hold together. The stock Tremec five-speed manual remains in place, but an Exedy Stage 3 clutch with aluminum flywheel replaces the factory unit, as well as a one-piece aluminum driveshaft and 31-spline axles. He also added 3.90 gears and a Hurst short-throw shifter for gear-changing duties.

In the suspension department, Manny spared no expense, and the parts list is that of a diehard weekend racer. A Steeda fully adjustable coilover suspension, adjustable sway bars with competition end-links, billet lower control arms front and rear, and a Panhard bar complete the setup.

For tires, he went with BFGoodrich KDW rubber wrapped over lightweight Asanti AF117 forged wheels custom- painted to match the car. A set of AP Racing cross-drilled and slotted rotors with six-piston calipers peek out behind the spokes up front, and Stillen cross-drilled rotors provide stopping power out back.

So now that Manny's latest project car is finished, does he ever get the chance to drive it? Well, not as much as he'd like. "I strictly use it for shows but occasionally drive it to enjoy it a bit," he says. "It's hard to open the garage and look at this beast/beauty and not want to drive it!" When he does drive the car, Manny admits to putting the Mustang's power to full use. "Cops even compliment me after giving me 100-mph speeding tickets."

Of course, like with any build, Manny knows it can't be done with just one person, and he has plenty of people to thank for helping with the Mustang. "First and foremost, I would like to thank my best friend, Manny Pena. Without him, this project would not have come to be what it is today. His love and passion for Mustangs runs as deep as mine." He also credits his many sponsors, as well as Scott Earixson from Gaudin Ford. So what's next for Manny? "We'll be attending several shows outside of Las Vegas. We've got to fill the trophy case!"

Horse Sense: Kenne Bell rates its 2.6-liter supercharger kits for the Three-Valve 4.6 in the range of 501 to 675 hp. Obviously, Manny Galvan's car is maximizing its combination. If he wanted more--and who doesn't--the Stage 3 kit's rating moves the maximum output up to 775 hp courtesy of the 2.8-liter supercharger.